O'Neal wouldn't have re-signed if he knew Thomas would be fired

You mean like this:

<hr><blockquote>
http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/oneal_transcript_030716.html

(How will becoming a community icon affect you?)

<b>Jermaine O'Neal</b>: "I’m starting a foundation. I want to build a recreational center here that has classrooms inside that kids can go to after school and enjoy sports and also be tutored at the same time. Hopefully, that plan gets off the ground really, really soon."</blockquote></hr>

It seems that NBAs players who make it big have a pretty high rate of city-based, fan-based community foundations versus other professions making similar money.

 

Heypartner,

I truly appreciate you posting that. NBA players are the worst negatively stereo-typed group in the entire sports world.

 

I agree. I don't feel sorry for O'Neal or anything. Frankly, I could care less. But he has reason to be pissed, IF what he said is accurate.

 

Thanks for the link HP. He seems like a class guy. And I liked his comments in Puerto Rico after the Argentina win about no redemption until the gold medal.

My comments were less directed at him individually than at the sports celebrity in general (be it basketball, baseball, hockey or otherwise).

His comment was just the latest.

 

I'd be absolutely pissed if I were signing a contract that had me forgoing other very lucrative opportunities and the other party misled me as to a material factor in my choice.

 

True, but he's better off in the long run. Carlisle is twice the coach that Thomas is & Oneal is gonna need all the help he can get. That team flat out sucked in the playoffs last year.

When was Carlisle canned in Detroit? Before or after Oneal's signing? I'm sure this has more to do with getting Carlisle before he gets away than w/Thomas.

Damn the Rox should have chased Carlisle.

 

I think firing Thomas was a good idea, but think that their probable dishonesty was not only unethical, but a bad long-term decision. I think it's important that players trust them.

 

Yeah, Carlisle had teams beating down his door. Thomas may be lacking some things as a coach, but his relationship with O'Neal was on target, it sounds like. Carisle has a reputation for being a jerk. Will he gain the loyalty of his superstar like Thomas had? There's more to coaching than drawing plays.

 

What? Like tolerating violent and petulant behavior that results in your players getting ejected at a record-setting pace?

Thomas is supposedly quite a jerk as well. If you have to hire a jerk, at least make sure he's a good coach .

 

haha the pacers were smart to sign oneal first and then fire thomas.. they knew how much oneal loved thomas.. HAHAH.. funny.. im dumb.. :eeks:

 

Stroking midlevel players egos? Oneal is still gonna get all the touches he wants, his teamates (ie role players) might now know what role to play if they are told. If they think they deserve more, trade their ass. That team didn't play as a team down the stretch & it isn't like they have a ton of options on offense. They need structure.

Look how well our beloved Rox offense ran with a player's coach telling everyone to shot whenever they felt like it. That crap works with a bunch of vets but young guys are stupid & need to be told as much.